Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between service planners and planner/buyers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a service planner, becoming a planner/buyer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a service planner has an average salary of $56,421, which is higher than the $54,261 average annual salary of a planner/buyer.
The top three skills for a service planner include customer complaints, data entry and customer service. The most important skills for a planner/buyer are supply chain, purchase orders, and customer service.
| Service Planner | Planner/Buyer | |
| Yearly salary | $56,421 | $54,261 |
| Hourly rate | $27.13 | $26.09 |
| Growth rate | -3% | -3% |
| Number of jobs | 15,435 | 33,452 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Average age | 45 | 48 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 6 |
The duties of a service planner depend on their place or industry of employment. Typically, their responsibilities include performing market research and analysis, gathering and analyzing customer data and feedback, liaising with external parties such as vendors and suppliers, establishing guidelines and timelines, and developing strategies to optimize operations. They must also monitor the progress of operations from planning to execution, resolving problems should any arise. Moreover, a service planner usually works in a team setting, which requires an active communication line for a smooth and efficient workflow.
The role of buyers/planners is to ensure that office materials and equipment are well-supplied within their organization. They decide and purchase the materials needed for use or resale by their organization. They are responsible for evaluating prospective suppliers based on their cost, product quality, and delivery times. They are also the ones who negotiate contracts specifying the payment terms, price, and delivery schedules. Most employers prefer their buyer to have earned a bachelor's degree with a major in operations management or business management.
Service planners and planner/buyers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Service Planner | Planner/Buyer | |
| Average salary | $56,421 | $54,261 |
| Salary range | Between $40,000 And $78,000 | Between $37,000 And $77,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Billerica, MA |
| Highest paying state | California | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | Edwards Lifesciences | |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Technology |
There are a few differences between a service planner and a planner/buyer in terms of educational background:
| Service Planner | Planner/Buyer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Western Carolina University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between service planners' and planner/buyers' demographics:
| Service Planner | Planner/Buyer | |
| Average age | 45 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 44.5% Female, 55.5% | Male, 47.9% Female, 52.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.7% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.8% Asian, 7.0% White, 61.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | Black or African American, 9.1% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 12.5% Asian, 7.9% White, 65.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 7% |